"The seed is in a form of stasis, they are stored at minus 18 degrees but the seed is dried down to super dried conditions and sealed in foil packets which are moisture and air proof," she said.

"So they're in boxes on shelves in those conditions can potentially last between 50 and 100 years and still be able to grow relatively easily."

For the first time, the most recent delivery had a number of Australian indigenous wild seed samples.

Relatives of sorghum, rice and beans were included along with the canola, oats, lupins as well as seeds from both temperate and tropical pastures.

Dr Norton says there was a rigorous process in order to get the samples to the facility.

"There were some quiet clear quarantine regulations we had to meet to actually deposit the material into the vault in Norway," she said.

"But also in terms of gaining access back the material we had to have Australian agriculture biosecurity seals on all the boxes, so that any material leaving can come back without requiring the quarantine regulation grow out that most germplasm has to undergo."

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